Five times John and Todd (were) stuck together
by Rotblume
Summary: Caught in a moment. Or: Caught in five situations.
1. Bound

Sheppard might not have been the shining example of a son his father always wanted him to be, but he could proudly say that on earth he was never put under arrest, never sat in the back of a police car and had not once in his life felt handcuffs around his wrists.  
It came as a bit of a surprise that he caught up on that last sensation in the Pegasus Galaxy. And this time, on a world presumed uninhabited, at that.

Seriously, one would think he'd have enough work experience by now not to be shocked by such incidents. Especially when Todd was around, since the Wraith seemed to attract chaos.  
Sheppard refused to acknowledge that he actually got into more trouble without Todd than with him.

Anyway, it wasn't even that bad. In fact, it was probably the most hilarious thing to happen to him in quite some time and that's saying something, as the Wraith had been on Atlantis for almost a month now and, you know, he attracts chaos.  
His left and Todd's right wrist were handcuffed together. Not to mention their feet.

It reminded Sheppard of a three legged sack race and it literally was a race, because they were running for their lives at the moment.  
But it really wasn't as bad as it could be, since that month Todd's been in Atlantis was mostly spent together, whether in the city or on missions, so the Wraith knew exactly how fast Sheppard could run and adapted easily. Better to slow down than to stumble or something like that.

Not that it made that a big difference as they suddenly tumbled through the trees and practically rolled down a steep hillside that even Todd couldn't have seen or he would've told him.  
Okay, maybe he wouldn't have told him, considering that the Wraith was far less susceptible to pain. And injuries. And wanted to get away from their pursuers that were armed with torches.

Really, torches and handcuffs? That was a combination Sheppard hadn't had the pleasure to experience until now.  
Then again, he had to assume the handcuffs didn't actually belong to their pursuers, seeing how they apparently only had the two pairs currently attached to them. After all, any sane person would use more on a Wraith, right? Okay, nope, wrong image.

Sheppard groaned. Black dots were dancing in front of his eyes and his ears were ringing. He didn't even try to move.  
Not only shot pain from his neck down through his whole body, but he had a Wraith lying on top of him. A taller, heavy Wraith. A cursing and swearing Wraith. Huh, that was new.

Todd shifted his weight until Sheppard could breathe again. It was a start.  
Next, he tried to wiggle his fingers and toes and was surprised that he was actually able to do so. He could also feel the ground beneath him and the sticks and stones of varying sizes digging into his back. It was unpleasant, yet oddly comforting.

When Todd sat up, Sheppard felt the pull on his arm and was reminded how they had ended up down there. Not that he honestly thought he could've stopped his mad run, even if they had not been connected.  
They would have to do something about it either way and rather sooner than later.

Sheppard wasn't exactly sure how they even got into this situation. He was knocked out before they were bound together, but he knew there were only few things able to incapacitate a Wraith, none of which their followers might be in possession of.  
Then again, it also was a rather ridiculous notion that Todd might have just stood still and let it happen. Although he did freeze when one of their captors had pointed his weapon at Sheppard, probably too afraid to aim at the Wraith himself.

He forcibly shoved that thought from the forefront of his mind, putting it aside for later inspection. He was pretty certain he had a concussion, because he couldn't explain his befuddled thoughts otherwise.  
However, at the moment it was more important to get away from the planet as quickly as possible, so Sheppard accepted the hand Todd offered and let the Wraith pull him up, only realizing it were their joined hands clasped together, and thus Todd's feeding hand, when the Wraith had already let go.

Somehow, he then managed to focus on the task at hand (no pun intended, for once) and drag Todd along long enough that the Wraith was satisfied he'd be fine until someone could take care of him and treat any potential head wound.  
Fortunately, he again fell into step with him easily after that. That was enough for now.


	2. Hung up

Sheppard refused to consider himself prey. And yet he found himself in a trap.  
Hanging from chains attached to a tree not too far from them, to be exact. Them, because Todd was hanging around with him.

And this time, Sheppard decided, it was not a concussion, but the blood rushing in his head that made him think weird things and caused the heat in his cheeks.  
He just couldn't ignore the Wraith's behind pressing against his. Admittedly, it had been worse as they had faced each other, nose to nose, gazing into each other's eyes. Even the fact that Todd's hair succumbed to the force of gravity and was hanging down, or from his point of view standing up, had not been enough to let him laugh the awkwardness away.

At least, the Wraith didn't look like a giant bat. He had slipped his black coat off, letting it fall next to the gun Sheppard had lost as he was suddenly swept off his feet and hoisted into the tree.  
It hadn't helped much, though, Todd's freedom of movement of no use when they realized their feet were trapped in shackles rather than some good old rope. Whatever became of cords and nets? Those they could've escaped.

Instead, Todd was now trying to rig their locks, but he hadn't had any success so far. That alone was already bad enough.  
However, the way the Wraith had to bend his body, torso up, so that he could reach the metal, had him hanging in such a position that Sheppard was more than able to feel his backside. And that made it all worse.

Not that it really was bad. More of the opposite, in fact, but that, in turn, was rather bad.  
And so, as he was trying to keep his thoughts on that matter to himself, Sheppard failed to take note of the low, pleased hiss coming from the Wraith behind him and suddenly found himself lying on his back on the ground, having to stare up into Todd's amusedly twinkling eyes while fighting to get some air in his lungs.

Luckily, the fall hadn't hurt too much, softened by the coat on which he had landed and the thousands of leaves beneath it, which had hid the trap from their eyes in the first place.  
Of course, Todd didn't fall at all, but instead gracefully jumped down the tree after he had rigged his lock and chains mere five minutes later.

By that time, Sheppard had picked himself up from the ground and his weapon and the Wraith's coat, as well, handing the latter over to Todd before straightening his own clothes. He felt surprisingly uncomfortable in his uniform.  
Still, they were ready to move on and this time they'd be more careful with where they were stepping.

Okay, Sheppard really wasn't very good at that. But he couldn't help that his gaze strayed into dangerous territory again and again. It was like some sick fascination, he just couldn't look the other way.  
It was not the first time that he prayed to any God available, Wraith and Goa'uld and Ori excluded, maybe, that Todd wasn't able to read his mind like some Queens could. The glances he sent him after he had found him staring one too many times were judgmental enough for his taste without that.


	3. Encased

Sheppard usually was not one to complain about things he couldn't change. The layout and atmosphere of a planet where one of their missions led them, for example. That was McKay's job.  
However, he found himself cursing the muddy ground beneath and practically all around him that was the characteristic of swamps in all galaxies.

It felt as if the slippery slime was gliding into his boots and up his pants, even sticking to skin that it as of yet hadn't even come into contact with.  
And it was not only the mud that sent shivers down his spine, but also the unwelcome sensation of being watched. Sheppard was not talking about Todd right now either. Something else was watching them, lurking in the depths of the dirty water or maybe somewhere in the treetops above, waiting for them to make the wrong move.

It didn't have to wait long.  
While he was falling, Sheppard already wondered what it was he had slipped upon. But, as always, the fall was too short to gift him with some brilliant idea, so he was still clueless as he found himself not only knee-deep in the swamp or with the water reaching up to his hip, but rather up to his chin, small waves even tickling his nose.

All of that was unfortunate, but not a catastrophe. No, it only turned into a nightmare when Sheppard realized he could not free himself.  
Then the worry set in and he probably did overreact somewhat, on the verge of hysteria, but it was just his luck to end up in a patch of quicksand, wasn't it?

It was one of the few things he had been able to avoid up until now, leading to the pretty sobering realization that he had no idea what to do in a situation like this.  
Or maybe it was the adrenaline kicking all rational thought out, since Sheppard felt the overwhelming urge to try to slither his way out, which, by the way, was a bad idea according to some stray voice from the deep recesses of his mind.

He heard Todd move closer from behind him, or, at least, he desperately hoped it was Todd and not whatever it was that had been following them, but he couldn't be sure, because he couldn't even turn his head around enough to see anything.  
Sheppard had the distinct impression that things in this galaxy were clingier than back in Milky way, not only because of the caging mud, but also the attachment iratus bugs and especially one particular Wraith seemed to have formed to him at one point or another.

The frighteningly familiar sounding growl of his green companion confirmed his suspicion, at last, more or less fortunately, as it was an obvious sign of Todd's dissatisfaction. Whether it was directed at him, the swamp or the situation in general, Sheppard didn't know.  
He seriously hoped it was one of the latter options or maybe even the two of them together, as long as it meant that the Wraith was still inclined to help him out of here and not willing to let him rot in this damn hellhole.

"Lean back on me", was the only thing offered to him and Sheppard was already wondering how, exactly, he was supposed to do that, when he felt Todd step yet another tad bit closer from behind, somehow able to wade through the mess surrounding them, and force his arms under his own, wrapping them around his torso in a surprisingly gentle, but reassuringly firm grip.  
The Wraith was causing some small waves doing that, but tipped his chin up enough that Sheppard was in no danger to swallow down any of that mud when taking a breath, Todd's own breathing slightly ruffling his hair and tickling the small part of his neck not pulled under water in a rhythmic pattern.

For the time being, at least, he concentrated on that and not the aching tightness in his chest, which he reasoned came from the sludge around him.  
In view of his situation, Sheppard also decided not to question why he was so readily putting his faith in the Wraith and trusting him to know what he was doing and instead spent all energy left in him after this horrible day to somehow curve backwards in the universe's most graceless arc.

Todd actually managed to pull him up inch after inch with that growing weight shift, standing just far enough from the loose edge of the quicksand not to be pulled under as well or sink down himself.  
And if Sheppard put a bit more weight on him than what was strictly necessary or felt too comfortable at some point when resting his head against the Wraith's shoulder, well, he completely understandably suffered from acute exhaustion. Right? Right.


	4. Trapped

Sheppard was not stupid. He had taken the Mensa Test and passed and though he did not think intelligence was all about one's IQ, this had to mean something. And while he was reckless to the point where others regarded his actions as suicidal, he just didn't believe that to be the same.  
But he did not know why he was stuck in a hole in a wall of stone boulders.

Oh, he had seen videos of crazy people and funny animals poking their head (or other body parts, mind you) into holes, thinking they'd fit through, and laughed about it, all right. But Sheppard had never quite understood how someone could risk something like that when not absolutely sure that they'd get free with little effort, if any.  
Not until he had to try exactly that.

In his defense, however, the hole hadn't looked as small and tight as it felt now.  
He'd come through with his head and one shoulder and arm without much problems. But no matter how much he held in his stomach or how deeply he exhaled, his ribcage was too broad to slip through as easily. And now Sheppard could move neither forward nor backward. He'd tried, but all it got him was a sore chest and back.

In other words, that's what he got for trying to help a Wraith.  
Because who else, if not his favorite space vampire, could ever cause such a dilemma? Maybe geniuses like McKay, space pirates like Larrin and the Genii aside.

Although, latter played a big enough role in this not to exclude them from the grand list of people to be blamed. After all, it had been some rampant Genii who had shot the ceiling of the huge cave hall they'd been in.  
Todd was actually as much a victim of the circumstances as Sheppard was, considering some giant rocks and boulders had fallen down and crushed his leg, which the Wraith had confirmed with a pained hiss.

That was also why Sheppard had tried to get through the hole in the first place, to come to the Wraith. Growling, Todd had informed him that he was too weakened to free himself without help, seeing how his body used most of his energy to try to heal his trapped leg and keep him alive through the consequences such an injury had.  
Sometimes he really wasn't to be envied. And now they were both almost immobile and practically helpless until his team would be there.

Sheppard had made several attempts at encouraging smiles, though he was pretty sure they came out all wrong and looked more like bizarre grimaces. Todd, luckily, didn't call him out on faking his usually easy coming smirks.  
But, hey, who could blame him in view of their situation? Sure, his position was more than uncomfortable, but it actually hurt more to see Todd suffer without being able to help him.

The Wraith really had grown on him and he didn't like not being able to protect his friends. And while it was, admittedly, more often than not Todd who did the protecting, Sheppard also didn't like owing people.  
He just didn't know how it could even come to that.


	5. Locked in

Sheppard loved Atlantis. The city, that had become his home, was alive and thrummed under his fingers, responding to him. And he loved flying in general and anything that went faster than 200 miles per hour specifically, so of course he loved Atlantis' Puddle Jumpers as well.  
But he was not exactly fond of the Ancients' other technological inventions.

The force fields, for example, that protected some of their experiments, were a real pain in the ass. Especially the ones that not only stopped someone from entering the guarded area, but also hit back and interfered with the Jumpers.  
It was one of those fields that had caused his latest crash.

It was just his luck, of course, that Sheppard had lost control over the Jumper while flying across a chasm. But this way their fall had at least been slowed down by the walls, before they got stuck, else he'd have presumably broken his neck during an abrupt landing.  
Now, he's only got a headache, a sprained wrist and a bruised shoulder and hip. Oh, and let's not forget the Wraith sitting next to him.

Todd had been his only passenger and Sheppard couldn't help but be glad and grateful for that. After all, they were sitting on the hatch in the rear, seeing how the Jumper had somehow ended up upright.  
There was really no room for hostility or tension when there was already only so little space to breathe and stretch one's legs.

But even he had been a little taken aback when Todd had first come crawling over to him. And then started scanning him, carefully prodding at his sides or turning his head to look at the bump there.  
Sheppard had been jolted out of his stupor, though, after Todd had explained that he had lost consciousness for a few minutes and his fall really hadn't looked good.

And so, Sheppard learned a few things during Todd's examination.  
First of all, he was ticklish. He had literally squirmed under the Wraith's hands and he could only blame it on the exaggerated gentleness, the touches barely noticeable, because that had never happened with anyone else.

Secondly, Todd actually cared about him. Even in his totally dazed state had Sheppard realized that the Wraith had seemed somewhat troubled until he was completely sure that he was fine or at least would be.  
And hey, on every other mission Sheppard could have shrugged it off as Todd being concerned that his people would blame him for any potential injuries. But here it had pretty obviously been Sheppard's fault by not noticing the energy of the force field earlier.

So, maybe he was a bit bold when testing out that new discovery. And maybe Sheppard abused his position as poor wounded human, considering he could always blame the concussion.  
But that was all worth it when he settled down, with his head on Todd's thigh, and the Wraith didn't reject him, but instead tentatively began running his fingers through Sheppard's hair as he lay there, listening to the soft breathing from above.


End file.
